The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu, declaring that his political position remains unchanged despite criticism from within his party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja, Wike said he had made his stance clear during the 2023 general election cycle and had acted consistently with that declaration.
“I told you in 2023 that even as a PDP man, I was going to work for the President. That is what I did because I believe, and rightly so, that the other parties did not present serious candidates,” he said.
The minister maintained that he sees no contradiction in his continued alignment with the President while retaining membership of the PDP. According to him, the party’s leadership has failed to draw lessons from previous electoral setbacks.
“I have said several times that, as far as I am concerned, my party appears not to have learnt. That is why I said I was going to support Mr. President for a second term,” he said.
Wike also criticised the party for what he described as a lack of consultation in the selection of candidates, noting that he was not involved in key decisions.
“As a minister, my party did not consult me on the candidates they were going to present,” he added.
He explained that his political support would extend to aspirants across party lines, provided they align with the President’s re-election ambition.
“I said I would support candidates who support Mr. President for his re-election. It does not matter which party they belong to. If they support Mr. President, then of course I will pitch my tent with them,” he said.
Addressing the conduct of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections held on 21 February 2025, Wike stressed that electoral processes cannot be reduced to activities on polling day alone.
“Election is a process. It begins with the nomination of candidates, proceeds through campaigns, and then culminates in voting. It is not just about a particular day,” he said.
He responded to concerns over the movement restrictions imposed ahead of the polls, stating that the directive was implemented for security purposes and had presidential authorisation.
“By the approval of the President, movement was restricted from 8 p.m. for security reasons. It was to ensure that people did not import troublemakers into the city to cause a crisis,” he said.
Wike rejected claims that the restriction prevented residents from casting their ballots, pointing to the official voting hours.
“The election was on Saturday, and voting took place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. You cannot say people were not allowed to vote. That is not correct,” he stated.
On his presence at polling units during the exercise, the minister said he acted within the scope of authority delegated to him.
“The power has been delegated to me. A certain amount of authority has been given to me to act on behalf of the President,” he said.
He further dismissed allegations that he influenced the outcome of the council elections.
“I was not on the ballot. I never told anyone not to vote for any candidate. All I said was that I would support candidates who support Mr. President,” he said.
Responding to suggestions that his involvement amounted to political interference, Wike underscored his professional identity.
“Let me make this clear: I am a politician. I chose to be a politician, and politics is about winning,” he said.
He also challenged assertions that voters were disenfranchised during the polls.
“What is disenfranchisement? If a party says it is not prepared for an election, does that stop others from voting? Disenfranchisement means people were not allowed to vote, and that was not the case,” he said.
The minister concluded by advising dissatisfied stakeholders to seek redress through established legal channels.
“If anyone is dissatisfied, they should go to the tribunal. Let the tribunal cancel the election and order a rerun if necessary. The outcome will not be different,” he said.
Results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that the All Progressives Congress won five of the six chairmanship positions across the Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory. The party secured victories in Abuja Municipal, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the PDP won the chairmanship seat in Gwagwalada.